Friday 14th March 2025
Bridging education, industry, and innovation
Professor Steve Maggs, Assistant Dean, Skills and Education Engagement, at WMG, plays a key role in shaping industry-linked learning. He focuses on strengthening connections with businesses and creating opportunities for master’s and undergraduate students to work on real-world projects. He’s also dedicated to building alumni relationships and supporting WMG’s engagement team.
A key priority for Professor Maggs, is integrating students into applied research, giving them hands-on experience solving real industry challenges alongside their studies.
What makes Warwick so special to you?
I say I’m an accidental academic - it just happened, but 25 years later, I can’t imagine doing anything else. Warwick is special because it’s always evolving. There’s an energy here, a real sense of innovation and progress. It’s never static and there’s always something new happening, whether it’s a research breakthrough, a fresh approach to teaching, or students bringing in new ideas.
But more than that, it’s the people. The colleagues I work with, the students we teach, and the graduates who go on to do amazing things. That’s the rewarding part: knowing that what we do here has a real impact. We’re not just educating students, we’re helping shape the next generation of engineers and technologists, people who will go out and change the world.
What are some of the most significant changes you've seen in the past 25 years?
The biggest change has been growth, both at the University and within WMG. In my early days, we had approximately 180 full-time WMG master’s students and now that number is over 1,300. Initially, a lot of our education was focused on part-time, industry-led courses, but today, our full-time master’s programmes have become a major part of what we do.
The department itself has greatly expanded. When I started, WMG had just a few buildings, and now we have 10! The whole campus has been transformed. I remember when the space where I work now was just open fields and students would play football and cricket there. It’s incredible to see how much has changed.
How have the courses and the student learning experience evolved?
WMG has always adapted with the times, and that’s reflected in how we teach. When we were part of the School of Engineering, undergraduate degrees were a small part of what we did, but now we have 700–800 undergraduates across our own programmes and degree apprenticeships.
The way we teach has also changed. We’ve moved away from the traditional lecture-heavy model, where students sat in a classroom from morning until evening - to a much more dynamic approach. Now, we focus on activity-based learning, project work, and interactive methods like simulations and games. In the past, it was a ‘one-size-fits-all’ model, but today, we tailor learning to different needs, making it far more engaging and effective.
What insights did you gain from leading the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology project, and how can they help other universities build successful industry partnerships?
The project was a unique experience. As a privately owned company, Dyson had the freedom to invest in ways that most large corporations couldn’t, by building their facilities and securing degree-awarding powers. While this exact model may not be easily replicated, the key takeaway for universities is the importance of relationships.
We learned that true collaboration means sitting down, listening, and co-creating something that genuinely fits the company’s needs. That level of openness and honesty was crucial over our nine-year partnership as we had to be just as transparent about challenges as we were about successes.
Are there more industry partnerships like this on the horizon?
While the Dyson project has ended, our relationship with them continues, and we’re applying the same approach to other collaborations. Industries are evolving rapidly with AI, automation, and the shift to electric vehicles, that brings new opportunities.
Through WMGs Skills Centre, which addresses the skills shortage facing businesses and industry, we’re creating short, practical courses based on cutting-edge research, helping companies adapt to these changes. The thinking is always the same: build strong relationships, understand their needs, and work together to create something valuable.
Where do you see degree apprenticeships heading in the next few years, and how do universities need to adapt to stay relevant?
There’s a lot of change on the horizon, particularly with shifts in government policy. One of the biggest challenges is making degree apprenticeships more flexible and moving with the times. For example, keeping up with advancements in AI or cybersecurity.
How do projects like Warwick Racing enhance the curriculum, and what are the benefits for both students and the University?
From robotics to electric superbikes and submarines, we support diverse student-led engineering projects that compete in national and international challenges. With strong industry links, these projects showcase our students’ skills, teamwork, and innovation, backed by PhD students, academics, engineers, and industry sponsors - Warwick Racing is just one of those projects.
Warwick Racing and other projects like Waste2Race are so important because they give students real, hands-on experience that you can’t get in a lecture hall. They learn how to manage budgets, work with suppliers, secure sponsorships, and deal with unexpected challenges, such as realising how long it takes to order a simple bag of bolts!
For universities, these projects help keep learning relevant and connected to industry. They build strong links with employers, enhance the reputation of their programmes, and produce graduates who are ready to hit the ground running. I believe projects like these don’t just create better students - they create future industry leaders.
What’s an exciting project you’re working on right now?
There’s a new agritech project focused on developing a spring onion-picking robot. It’s a student group project, that I am academically leading on - connected to our Applied Research team. We’ve purchased an automated tractor and are working with a farmer who grows spring onions - many of which are left in the ground due to labour shortages and inefficiencies. Our robot is designed to move through the rows, pick the onions, strip them, sort them, and eventually bundle them. This is just the first prototype, but we’re continuing to develop it. Agritech is a huge industry, with food production and labour shortages becoming global challenges, so it’s an incredibly worthwhile project
Why is alumni engagement so important for Warwick?
Fundamentally, by investing in our students, we are helping to shape them into the next generation of leaders.
It’s also mutually beneficial. By staying connected, we support alumni in their career progression, they can contribute as mentors, speaking at events, joining advisory boards, or assisting with student recruitment. Our alumni go on to represent WMG globally, acting as ambassadors, and strengthening our network. And we are rightfully proud of them!